A laundry machine is a machine that washes or dries clothes. Representative examples of the laundry machine include a washing machine, a drying machine, and a washing and drying machine. On the other hand, the laundry machine may be classified as a drum type laundry machine that treats laundry housed in a rotating drum or a cabinet type laundry machine that treats laundry housed in a stationary space.
Based on an angle of a rotation shaft of the rotating drum, the drum type laundry machine may be classified as a horizontal shaft laundry machine or a vertical shaft laundry machine.
In the horizontal shaft laundry machine, the rotation shaft of the drum is provided approximately horizontally, and laundry is lifted and dropped with the rotation of the drum such that the laundry is treated. Of course, in recent years, a tilting laundry machine has been widely used wherein the rotation shaft of the drum is inclined at a predetermined angle. The predetermined angle may be between approximately 5 degrees and approximately 15 degrees. The horizontal shaft laundry machine is widely applied to a washing machine or a washing and drying machine as well as a drying machine. The horizontal shaft laundry machine is generally referred to as a front loading laundry machine. This is because a door is provided at the front of a cabinet such that laundry is put into or removed from the cabinet by opening the door. Generally, most drum laundry machines are classified as front loading laundry machines.
In the vertical shaft laundry machine, the rotation shaft of the drum is provided substantially vertically. The vertical shaft laundry machine is widely applied to a washing machine. The washing machine washes laundry using force of wash water generated in the drum. The force of wash water may be generated by the rotation of the drum or by a pulsator rotating in the drum. The vertical shaft laundry machine is generally referred to as a top loading laundry machine. This is because a door is provided at the top of a cabinet such that laundry is put into or removed from the cabinet by opening the door.
As the washing machine or the washing and drying machine to perform washing, the front loading laundry machine (hereinafter, referred to as a drum washing machine for the sake of convenience) and the top loading laundry machine (hereinafter, referred to as a pulsator washing machine for the sake of convenience) each have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Basically, the drum washing machine uses a smaller amount of wash water than the pulsator washing machine. Therefore, the drum washing machine has an excellent energy saving effect, and high-concentration detergent control and temperature control are easily achieved in the drum washing machine. Also, washing is performed not by force of water but by lifting and dropping laundry, with the result that damage to the laundry is low.
In the pulsator washing machine, on the other hand, laundry is washed basically in a state in which the laundry is soaked in wash water, with the result that the pulsator washing machine uses a larger amount of wash water than the drum washing machine. In particular, the pulsator washing machine performs washing using force of water, with the result that laundry becomes tangled, and therefore, the laundry may be damaged, e.g., stretched.
Basically, washing is performed with detergent, and therefore, the detergent may be completely rinsed off the laundry when the washing is completed. For this reason, consumers may assume that the pulsator washing machine, using a larger amount of water, exhibits more excellent rinsing performance.
In addition to the above matters, the drum washing machine and the pulsator washing machine have other advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is difficult for a specific type of washing machine to have advantages of other types of washing machines.
On the other hand, a washing machine having a rotation shaft of a drum inclined at an angle of approximately 45 degrees is disclosed. This washing machine is constructed to have advantages of the drum washing machine and the pulsator washing machine. However, this washing machine also has disadvantages. This is because an energy saving effect is not expected in a structure in which the rotation shaft of the drum is provided horizontally.
Therefore, there is a high necessity for a new type of laundry machine having advantages of the drum washing machine and the pulsator washing machine and disadvantages of which are remedied.